Labor Relations & Employment Law

The F&H Labor and Employment Relations team lawyers and professional consultants offer employers a vast array of knowledge, skills, and experience in the areas of labor and employment law, employment litigation, human resources management, and workplace investigations.

Through understandable advice, clear identification of options and risks, real solutions, and zealous advocacy all in a cost-effective manner, the Team removes the uncertainty and simplifies the complexity and financial and legal liability that labor and employment law and the human resources field present. Our services ensure employers can stay focused on making informed business decisions that feel necessary and appropriate for them and their bottom-line and maintain the continuity of operations and harmony of their workplaces.

Our Labor Relations & Employment Law Services

Labor Relations

Labor negotiations preparation and representation
Interest based bargaining
Labor-management and dispute prevention and resolution
Grievance strategy and responses
Mediation and arbitration representation and advocacy
Strike planning, management, and strategizing
Unfair labor practices
Unionization, concerted activity, and campaigns
Unit clarifications and definition proceedings
Advising on the National Labor Relations Act, Public Employment Labor Relations Act, and other state-specific labor laws

Employment Law

Hiring, performance, discipline, and separation of employees
Layoff and complex restructuring and reorganizing
Counseling on federal laws, such as:
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Rehabilitation Act
- Equal Pay Act
- Fair Credit Reporting Act
- Fair Labor Standards Act
- Family and Medical Leave Act
- Occupational Safety and Health Act
- Title VII and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
- Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
Counseling on state laws, such as:
- Background checks
- Labor standards acts and wage, wage theft, payment, and collection laws
- Government data practices, sunshine, freedom of information, and open records acts and laws
- Public and private sector labor laws
- Open meeting law
- Veterans and military laws
- Whistleblower acts
- Discrimination and human rights acts
- Medical, family, civic, and safety leaves
Executive employment agreements
Separation, severance , and settlement agreements

Our Employment Litigation Services

Federal & State Agencies, Boards, Commissions, & Bureaus

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) discrimination charges
United States Department of Labor (DOL) wage and hour complaints
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigations
Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) discrimination charges
County and city human rights commission and board proceedings
Civil service and merit system proceedings
Duty disability and Office of Administrative Hearings contested cases
Veterans Preference Act hearings
Unemployment insurance (UI) appeals
National Labor Relations Board charges
Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services proceedings
Minnesota Public Employment Relations Board charges and complaints
State public sector labor boards or commissions

Court & Alternative Dispute Resolution

Collective and class action defense
Judge and jury state and federal trials
State and federal appeals
Mediation
Arbitration

Our Human Resources Management, Leadership, & Methods Services

Pay Equity

Review, analyze and recommend changes to compensation system to ensure legal and best practices compliance
Prepare pay equity report to the state and/or federal government
Advise and represent in any contested matter involving legal pay equity

Leadership Development

Employee performance management
The respectful, harmonious, and inclusive workplace
Conflict Resolution
Wage, hour, and work assignment and scheduling issues
Leave administration and fitness for duty
Employee data treatment
Labor relations and management

Employment Compliance

EEO reporting and related grant review
Pay disparity prevention
FLSA, FMLA, ADA, and EEO audits
Policy and procedure audits
Employment medical and private data audits
Data retention audits
OSHA audits

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiatives

Data collection and analysis to determine the need for DE&I initiative
Strategy design to match initiative with city objectives, including policies
Recommendations for implementation of the initiative
Tools for continuing maintenance, evaluation, and updating of initiative

Human Resources Tools & Systems

Personnel policies and practices
Job descriptions
Hiring and discipline processes
Performance appraisal systems
Compensation and benefit structures and surveys

Organizational Strategy

Organizational assessment, structure, and design
Succession and workforce planning and development
Mission-driven, people-focused strategic planning
Business planning and development

Our Independent Workplace Investigation Services

Workplace Respect & Fairness

Hostile work environment
Sexual Harassment
Bullying and harassment
Retaliation
Discrimination (e.g., gender, disability, national origin, race, veteran status, familial status)
Workplace and personnel policy violations
Equal pay complaints
Conflict of interest and ethics

Safety & Security

Workplace drug and alcohol use and abuse
CDL and safety sensitive workplace safety incidents
Unsafe work conduct
Embezzlement, theft, and fraud

Peace Officer Misconduct

On-duty and off-duty behavior or conduct
Conduct unbecoming a police officer
Ethics, oath, and department policy violations
Use of force policy violations
Civil rights and/or constitutional violations

Constitutional

Free speech
Due process

Notable Public Clients

Austin Utilities
Central Community Transit
City of Austin
City of Bagley
City of Baudette
City of Bemidji
City of Benson
City of Breckenridge
City of Crookston
City of Detroit Lakes
City of Dilworth
City of Fairmont
City of Farmington
City of Fergus Falls
City of Glencoe
City of Glenwood
City of Goodview
City of Grand Marais
City of Granite Falls
City of Hibbing
City of Hinckley
City of La Crescent

City of Little Falls
City of Luverne
City of Melrose
City of Menahga
City of Moorhead
City of Moose Lake
City of Nashwauk
City of New Ulm
City of New York Mills
City of Northfield
City of Oakdale
City of Osakis
City of Owatonna
City of Park Rapids
City of Pelican Rapids
City of Pequot Lakes
City of Perham
City of Pine City
City of Plainview
City of St. Charles
City of St. James
City of St. Joseph

City of Sandstone
City of Slayton
City of Sleepy Eye
City of Thief River Falls
City of Two Harbors
City of Tyler
City of Wabasha
City of Waite Park
City of Warren
City of Warroad
City of Waseca
City of Willmar
City of Windom
City of Winona
City of Woodbury
City of Worthington
Headwaters Regional Development Commission
Moorhead Public Service
Renville County
Willmar Municipal Utilities